Memorial Day Weekend 2010: Celebrity History

This weekend, hundreds of millions of Americans will celebrate Memorial Day, a holiday to think about and be thankful for the men and women who served in our country’s various military divisions.

And as we look back over our nation’s history, probably the most famous instance of Hollywood intersecting with our troops was on February 16th, 1954 when Marilyn Monroe arrived in Korea and entertained the soldiers serving in the Korean War.

Back at the beginning of the USA, Founding Father Benjamin Franklin got things started with his role in the revolution against England, stating, “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

World War II saw Oscar-winner Jimmy Stewart enlist in the US Air Force and fly a total of twenty missions before all was said and done.

Besides Ms. Monroe, the Korean War also saw he likes of Ted Williams and Ed McMahon as part of the military operations overseas.

And most recently, Pat Tillman of the NFL team the Arizona Cardinals gave up his $3.6 million contract to enlist with the Army Rangers. Tragically, Tillman died serving his country in Afghanistan, but his memory will live on forever for his brave sacrifice.

Enjoy the pictures of Marilyn Monroe singing to the troops in 1954!